Eurovision: Madonna releases statement

News

Posted on 15 May 2019

Madonna has confirmed that she intends to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Tel Aviv this Saturday, despite calls for her to boycott the event by opponents of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

In a statement released to CNN, the singer said: “I'll never stop playing music to suit someone's political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be.”

The statement continued: “My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict. I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace.”

Despite the statement, it would seem there still isn’t 100% certaintly that Madonna will perform. The European Broadcast Union, the body which has overall responsibility for Eurovision, has revealed that the paperwork necessary for the singer to perform has yet to be completed.

In the first Eurovision semi-final, the 10 countries which made it through to Saturday’s showdown were: Australia, Belarus, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, San Marino, Serbia and Slovenia.